


I don't want to see the day when it's dying

by cobaltsiren



Category: Skins (UK)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-20
Updated: 2012-09-20
Packaged: 2017-11-14 17:06:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/517560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cobaltsiren/pseuds/cobaltsiren
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set during 5.05  "Nick," after Nick and Mini's fight in the club.  Franky talks to Mini and Matty in the aftermath of the fight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I don't want to see the day when it's dying

_I could make you smile if you stayed a while//But how long will you stay with me, baby?_  
Because your candle burns too bright//Well, I almost forgot it was twilight  
  
Mini ran out the door of club, Nick ran in the other direction.   
  
Grace, Rich, and Alo retreated to their table. Liv headed straight for the bar.  
  
Franky caught Matty’s eye, and he nodded almost imperceptibly. The corner of her mouth twitched upward and she turned towards the door.  
  
It was becoming a bit of a habit, following Mini out of parties after she had a breakdown. But they were meant to be friends now, and she couldn’t stop herself from trying to help. She followed the sound of sobbing around the corner.  
  
Franky pulled a fag from her case and lit it. She leaned against the wall as she exhaled a stream of smoke, then slid down to sit next to Mini on the kerb. She held the cigarette out to Mini, who reached out for it, then drew her hand back.   
  
“You’re missing all the fun with your mates,” she said, crossing her arms over her stomach.  
  
“I’m not missing anything.” Franky shrugged and leaned back.  
  
Mini sighed and took the cigarette, puffing at it shakily. Her sniffles trailed off and she wiped at the trails of mascara on her cheeks as the fag burned down to nothing.  
  
“You were really brave in there,” Franky said quietly, bringing her knees up to her chest.  
  
“Bullshit,” Mini scoffed. “I just…wanted to make a scene. Fuck him over like he fucked me. I’m not really a good person you know.”  
  
She smiled a tight-lipped smile and turned her head away. Franky got out another cigarette.  
  
“Neither am I. I just…deal with it differently.”   
  
Franky thrust her hand into the pocket of her blazer and closed her hand around cold metal. There was still a bullet lying loose in there, to remind her of just how close she came to doing something well and truly fucked up. Mini looked at her curiously for a moment, and then returned her stare to the ground.  
  
It was getting dark. Contrails strewn across the empty sky were barely glowing purple in the last remnants of sunlight. Franky stubbed out her cigarette and stared at the dying embers. Slowly, Mini stood and bit her lip, one arm still clutched across her waist. Her other hand twitched at her side, but finally she held it out hesitantly to Franky and helped her to her feet.  
  
“I…I’m just going to go home. Tell Gracie and L--the others that I’m all right,” Mini said, turning swiftly away.  
  
“See you Mini!” Franky called to her retreating back. She was rewarded with a pause and half a smile over Mini’s shoulder. It felt like something.  
  
******  
  
She found Matty at the bar trying to keep Liv upright.  
  
“All right?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.  
  
“Fucking wonderful…” Liv muttered, slipping towards the edge of her stool again.  
  
Matty’s lips parted in a small sigh as he looked sideways at Franky.   
  
“Let me help you get her home,” Franky offered, stepping up next to Liv.   
  
Matty smiled his thanks and threw one of Liv’s arms over each of their shoulders. Their hands brushed against each other as they slid their arms around her waist. Franky flinched away, but caught his eye behind Liv’s back.  
  
“Sor-,” she began.  
  
“Come on Olives,” Matty said brightly, hauling her off the stool, “it’s past your bedtime.”  
  
“Thanks mum,” she rolled her eyes at him as they stumbled together towards the door.  
  
******  
  
They hauled Liv up the stairs to her room. Franky swung Liv’s legs onto her bed and got her shoes off while Matty took off her top. He tucked a blanket around her and she rolled into it, muttering something that sounded like ‘sextramp’.   
  
Franky smiled and crept out of the room. Matty silently joined her outside as she lit a cigarette. He got out one of his own and leaned over for a light. She held a flame to it, watching planes of his face illuminated for a split second.   
  
“So how was Mini?” Matty asked as he exhaled.  
  
“Better than I might have expected, I suppose.”  
  
“Was she the girl? The one you hated so much you almost shot me?”  
  
Franky bit her lip and nodded just once. She couldn’t trust herself to meet Matty’s eyes.   
  
“What changed?” Matty’s voice was a mere whisper.  
  
Franky closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  
  
“She said sorry, eventually. I had to stop hating though, whether she did or not. So I dropped it in the post. The gun I mean, not the hate.”  
  
“Same thing.”  
  
She glanced over at him quickly. He was smiling at her, and she felt a smile creep onto her own face.  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“Thanks,” he said, putting a hand on her arm, “For helping with Liv, not for not shooting me.”  
  
“Right,” she grinned.   
  
She held up her index finger and pointed it into his chest. “Bang,” she murmured with a tilt of her head. Matty’s smile grew wide and he clutched at his heart with mock surprise.   
  
They finished their fags silently. Matty shoved his hands into his pockets after he stubbed his out.  
  
“I’ve got to go find Nick,” he sighed.  
  
“Yeah, see you then.”  
  
“Yeah, you will,” he replied and then was gone.  
  
******  
  
Franky’s phone buzzed as she walked home. It was a text from Mini.  
  
 _Thanks. X_  
  
She spent the rest of the walk writing her reply, hitting send as she unlocked her door and snuck up to her room.  
 _  
Its cool. Night. X_


End file.
